Guest Speakers: Sara Bond, Marc Gunn, James P. Nettles, & Glenn Parris
Track Director: M. Haynes
Assistant Director: William Alexander
What are some of your favorite fictional worlds involving power and politics? The Matrix involves the cyclical nature of the world unraveling over and over. Everyone is trying to escape (alongside those trapped in the real world), including the machines. Other examples include Firefly, Star Wars, Game of Thrones, etc.
For Firefly, you see more of the universe outside of the amazing characters. This adds substance to the overarching image, and you learn more about why the characters are they way they are. For Star Wars, it starts off with episodes 4-6, and everyone wonders, “Where’s 1-3?” Then we receive them… the politics are deep in the nitty gritty, involving contracts and trade, which begs the question… do we really want to know how it originated? It was a bit too contrived and corny story-wise, even if it was nice to see the world-building. For Game of Thrones, the prequel adds much more in terms of worldbuilding, where we get to explore more behind the scenes of how the empire falls in House of the Dragon.
If done right, prequels are a fantastic way to modify the story and make it better. The Silmarillion can be a slog, where Tolkien played more with the language and world-building concepts at the expense of plot structure. This is the reason why The Hobbit is considered the official beginning point of the series. In Star Trek, the prequels could have been executed much better as well. The Vulcans were not nearly as well put-together as Spock led us to believe.
So what role does power play in storytelling? In any kind of drama, power needs to be fragile. Dictators have power, but they make bad decisions. Since they can’t be voted out, their people unite in order to terminate them. The emotional aspects of the power/fragility dynamic is finding that inner power in a world full of monsters.
Game of Thrones exhibits a desperation for power and and need to control one’s own life. Cersei Lannister showcases this, which makes her both intriguing and dangerous. Having been humiliated and powerless in her past makes her much more ruthless. In order to move forward, she creates her own definition of power.
In Young Adult fiction, the prophecy of “the chosen one” is certainly overplayed. The hero is given a challenge and told “Good luck! Don’t kill your mentor off too early – (they’ll have important information later!)” Examples for this include Harry Potter, Dune, and Willow. Despite the excessive use of this trope, it does add a mystical and unknown element. Is something greater guiding us (like the Force) or not? It still has potential for fun and entertainment.
Prophecies are often used by those in power to control or manipulate others to do their will. Dumbledore knew the whole time that Harry was one of the horcruxes, and that he would be a necessary sacrifice. This prophecy was crafted to mold Harry into becoming a hero, and used as a tool to further Dumbledore’s goals in destroying Voldemort. Was he really a wise mentor or was this a political power-play? Perhaps this was a masterful orchestration from the beginning to groom Harry into following a path of self-destruction.
So what role does mysticism or esotericism play in prophecies? Noble lies often prevent the general population from acting because they’re waiting on a “chosen one” to save them. It can also be a symbol of hope, or finding magic within oneself when you’ve been oppressed for so long, which leads to rebelling against circumstances laid out by those in power. For younger audiences, they may be drawn to this, where the magic is more abstract rather than scientific. The focus is on hope of rebellion and changing the status quo. In Andor, you see mature characters who use manipulation on many for the general good, but are still capable of making poor choices.
In The Mandalorian, there is no “chosen one” – just normal people trying to do their job, who get sucked into something greater than themselves. The operative in Serenity knows what he’s doing is wrong, but he’s just trying to do his job. After speaking with Malcolm, he chooses to walk away when he fails.
Looking at foundational mythology, these “chosen one” stories began accumulating in the 1500’s. Key factors involve hope, the mentor, prophecies, etc. Stories are powerful in and of themselves, and these archetypes feed our souls. Sometimes, you can just be an average person who rises up to be a hero, even if you don’t want to.
That being said, it’s fun to turn tropes on their head or add a twist. For example, a wizard may come to town, and all the parents hide their children. One of the kids are “chosen” and the mother yells “Hell, no!” Despite her son/daughter’s insistence on leaving, the mother takes up a sword and goes with them. (This concept was used in a short story from DON’T TOUCH THAT!: A Sci-Fi and Fantasy Parenting Anthology.) Regardless, we’re still building on Greek myths and stories from thousands of years ago, because they model human life. We go do something, we learn from it or die.
What era of mythology serves as a foundation for what you love most? Fairy tales establish an understanding of tropes, archetypes, and something darker. Other rich collections of folktales may come from West African, European, and Chinese traditions, as well as Greek, Roman, or Norse mythology. Dungeons & Dragons and Star Wars, while not necessarily reflecting older myths, still makes a substantial impact. One might argue that you can learn everything you need to in life from The Godfather and The Flintstones. Each culture’s wealth of lore and mythology shows in exaggerated detail what was needed to survive in that culture, so it may be worth taking a deeper look at the myths you draw inspiration from.
In any story, something normal changes (the inciting incident), then everything changes. Nothing can go back to the way things were, and the main character must answer the call. As the characters socialize and real actions are accomplished, we see life, worldbuilding, and culture. This gives us a chance to see who the characters truly are.
What are some of your favorite examples of politics in fiction? Was there a prophecy that stood out to you as more unique in the vast array of “chosen one” stories? When did a character show true power that resonated with you well past the experience of reading or watching the story unfold?
If you’d like to see more panels like this and receive the FULL experience in person, check out Multiverse Con! Get your tickets here: https://www.multiversecon.org/ Hope to see you there! 🙂
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